Will this work for bait?

[Fish_tracker]

Hey guys, Question:

Looking for some bait to freeze for pike this season.  Could I go into a local fish market and buy a bag of fresh smelt, take em home and freeze then use for pike?  Is this considered "fresh" enough? Regards, FT

[tench]

Should work, may want to use a quick strike rig to hang them horizontally. Pike will hit dead bait just like live.

[addicted to ice fishing]

Should work, may want to use a quick strike rig to hang them horizontally. Pike will hit dead bait just like live.

X2

[Fish_tracker]

Thnaks guys... have read almost ever post in the pike section, it seems there is a big divide about how the dead bait should lay....horizontal or head down, both ways seem to begetting fish....whats a noob to do?!

[addicted to ice fishing]

Try them both, and decide for yourself which way you like best.

[Team Robinson]

Out of curiosity... Why are you using dead bait?.

[JBO112394]

Out of curiosity... Why are you using dead bait?.

Big pike are lazy and like an big easy meal 

[Fish_tracker]

Big pike are lazy and like an big easy meal 

That's what I keep reading.  Fresh dead fish is apparently the ticket.  Gonna try one dead and one alive and see what does better. 

[JBO112394]

That's what I keep reading.  Fresh dead fish is apparently the ticket.  Gonna try one dead and one alive and see what does better.

I try to only use fresh dead because I find that it outfishes frozen baits. Live bait can produce more numbers than dead at times, but dead bait always produces bigger fish. 

[tench]

Try them both, and decide for yourself which way you like best.

I think it can be more productive to find out what the fish like

[Drifter_016]

I have a freezer full of frozen dead bait for pikin'.
Works great and I catch tons of big fish.
Works good on the lakers too.

Here is this falls haul!!!   
They are all pcaked in small freezer bags in groups of 5.
Just pull out a bag or two when needed. I'll sometimes thaw them out and brine them a few days before heading out to toughen them up.

[icepack]

Hey Drifter.
My son inlaw is going back to Yellowknife for Christmas.
Hows about hooking me up with a couple bags of those fine looking bait fish.

[Raquettedacker]

  I'll sometimes thaw them out and brine them a few days before heading out to toughen them up.

    How do you do that and what do you use?   If you dont mind me  asking..

[Drifter_016]

Hey Drifter.
My son inlaw is going back to Yellowknife for Christmas.
Hows about hooking me up with a couple bags of those fine looking bait fish.

Get a hold of me I think I can hook you up with some.   

[Drifter_016]

    How do you do that and what do you use?   If you dont mind me  asking..

Usually I just throw some pickling salt into a ziplock bag with some bait in the and shake it around then leave it in the fridge for a day or so. Check the bait a couple of times a day, drain off any liquid and remove from the salt when they reach the desired firmness.

Here is a good true brine if you have the time. I haven't done it yet but would relly like to give it a go.

http://www.salmonuniversity.com/ol_brining_herring.html

[petrgill]

Use both, the dead doesn't take up much room and live can get you some decent ones too.

[Yukoner]

There are a couple of guys up here who use frozen smelt for pike, and they do okay.  They buy them at the grocery store, and fish them laying right on the bottom in 2-10 feet of water, and catch some real nice fish that way.

I have tried it, and it works, but do much better with plastics such as this one, which I think represents immature burbot and sculpin to them.



Burbot and lake trout whack it all the time, too.


Ted

[icepack]

Get a hold of me I think I can hook you up with some.   

Pm coming your way with some info.